Garment-hanger.



PATBNTED JAN. 27, 1903.

No.. 719 04lj P. PHAT-z.- GARMENT HANGER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11, 1902.

lIlOVEtl by any but an authorized person.

llntrnn drains PATENT OF ICE.

FRIEDRICH PRATZ, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

GARWI ENT HANGER.

SPEOIFIGATIUN forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,041, dated January 27, 1903.

Application filed February 11, 1902. Serial No. 93,650. (No model.)

To all, whom Z'l; may concern:

Be it known that I, FRIEDRICH PRATZ, manufacturer, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at WVickenburgstrasse 14, Vienna VIII, Austria-Hungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garment-Hangers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art'to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in garment-hangers.

The object of the invention is to provide a chain hanger for coats and like garments and a lock to be employed in connection therewith, whereby garments suspended from a hook or peg may be securely fastened against removal by unauthorized persons.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the hanger and lock. Fig. 2 is a section through the lock, showing the pawls engaging the chain. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the device mounted upon a garment-hook. Fig. 4t is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, showing a modified form of lock.

Referring now more particularly .to the drawings, the numeral 1 represents a garment hook or peg provided, as usual, at its free end with a knob or shoulder 52.

In carrying out my invention I provide a flat casing a, through which passes the legsot the looped hanger-chain b and which carries a latch device contained within the loop of the chain for engaging said chain to secure the garment suspended from the hook against re- As shown clearly in Fig. 2, the latch device consists of two catches or pawls d, pivoted upon pins 0, suitably mounted in the casing, said pawls being of bell-crank form and having their lower ends projecting outwardly to form teeth adapted to engage recesses e in the side arms of the looped supporting-chain Z) and having their upper ends extending inwardly in normal alinement and forked at f to receive or engage a plate g. A spring It bears upon the toothed ends of the pawls to press the same outwardly and hold them engaged with the recesses e in the chain, and the plate 9 is adapted to be raised through the medium of a suitable key to retract the pawls against the resistance of said spring, whereby the teeth of the pawls are made to recede from the recesses 6, allowing the lock to be moved downward on the chain as desired. When the pawls are in their locked position, the casinga may be moved upward on thehangerchain-that is, toward the looped end of the chain-owing to the fact that the teeth of the pawls are beveled off in an upward direction, allowing them to slip out of the recesses 6; but downward movement of the casing (31, on the chain is prevented by the straight sides of the pawl-teeth and the straight sides of the recesses, whereby the pawls must first be released by means of a suitable key acting on the plate 9 before a downward movement of the casing is permitted. it

In the construction shown in Fig. 4 the catch devices in the casing consist of two paWls Z, which engage recesses 't' in the chain, the pawls being guided in projections stamped out of the casing and having their inner ends bearing upon the oblique faces of a Wedge m, arranged between the pawls. The wedge m is depressed by means of a suitable spring 9% and overcoming the resistance of weaker springs 0 will hold the two pawls securely in locking engagement with the chain. Upon the wedge on being raised by means of the key, the revolution of which is limited by a stop-pin p, both pawls will be retracted by the springs 0, thus releasing the look from the hanger-chain and allowing the same to be moved downward on said chain.

By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that in suspending a garment embodying my invention from the book 1 the loop of the hangerchain is spread out sufficiently to pass over the head or knob 2, and then the casing a is adjusted upwardly or toward the looped end of the chain and hook until it bears upon the under side of the hook, thereby causing the looped portion of the chain to bear upon the upper side thereof and contracting said looped portion of the chain, so that it cannot be passed over the knob or head 2. The garment will ICO then be securely locked against removal, as the pawls can only be retracted by the use of a certain form of key, and downward movement of the lock-casing a is prevented by the pawls engaging the recesses 6. Hence it Will be seen that simple and effective means are provided to prevent the removal of a garment so suspended by unauthorized persons.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A garment-hanger and lock comprising a looped chain the legs of which are provided with rack-teeth, a casing adjustable on the chain and having both legs of the chain passing therethrough, and key-retractable pawls operable in unison to be thrown into and out of locking engagement with the rack-teeth to secure the casing to both legs of the chain, said pawls being adapted to ride over the teeth to allow the casing to slide toward the bend of the loop but to prevent movement of the casing in the reverse direction, substantially as described.

2. A garn1enthanger and lock comprising a looped chain having its legs provided with rack-teeth, a casing adjustable thereon and having both legs of the chain extending therethrough, spring-pressed pawls in the casing to engage the rack-teeth and lock said casing to both legs of the chain, and a retracting member adapted to be operated by a key to simultaneously retract both pawls, substantially as specified.

3. Means for suspending garments and securing them to guard against theft, comprising a toothed hanger-chain, a casing adjustable on the chain and through which the legs of the chain extend, pivoted spring-projected 

